Last night, we were among the first people to step foot into the completed Omnia San Diego during its private pre-opening party. And, although it was a Wednesday night, invited patrons came dressed to the nines in everything from full suits to (tiny) cocktail dresses and full-on Vegas-style wear. In a city known for its love of casual attire, this in itself was impressive (especially mid-week).
Owned by the Hakkasan Group, a Las Vegas-based global hospitality and nightlife firm, Omnia is the second location for the brand. The first opened in Sin City at the beginning of this year and is three times the size of the San Diego club. In just a few months, the nightclub has already begun drawing in a huge celebrity crowd, which includes Justin Bieber who celebrated his 21st there (aww, adorable).
Taking over the old home of Stingaree, the Hakkasan group took six months to flip the club and turn the 22,000-square-foot club into the new Omnia. At Sting, the whole set-up felt too constrictive. And the DJs were never the main attraction, more of an afterthought to the evening because of how it was designed. It felt small, even though the space wasn’t any less significant. This new look, however, already feels much nicer. With 8,000 square feet of space on their main floor, the design is meant to highlight their heavyweight DJs. Up on the balcony level, partiers can view down onto the dance floor from their VIP booths.
Hakkasan hasn’t released interior photos yet but we can tell you that the décor is pretty stunning. It is made up of notable touches such as granite and stone imported from five countries, gold leather upholstered banquettes, a crocodile embossed back wall and ornate burgundy wall coverings. Booths also include drawers beneath them where guests can store personal belongings and purses. There are even LED strips on the main level that pulsate with the music. During the night, hostesses donning gold dresses illuminated sparklers and held up Omnia signage as guests raised their arms in praise of the new venue.
On the 7,000-square-foot rooftop, cabanas outline the perimeter and sofas are sprinkled through the middle. Designed to have a garden feel, the space still feels somewhat similar to Stingaree’s rooftop area, but with a better layout.
As guests began to pack the club, people took to the dance floor as occasional bursts of oxygen were pumped onto the area (thanks for keeping us classy!). Throughout the evening, confetti fell from the ceiling, and for a moment, it really did feel like Las Vegas. Although locals will still feel the ghost of Stingaree lingering in the air. If this is your scene, Omnia is going to be your new playground right in your own backyard.
But here’s the thing about San Diego nightlife, it’s not that remarkable, especially when compared to bigger cities such as Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Are we ready for a club of this scale? Sure, there’s Fluxx, Parq, 207 and a few other smaller Vegas-type establishments, but Omnia is wholly different. The space alone and lineup of DJs may turn it into a destination venue. And say what you will about tourists, but the more that come, the more money our city makes.
With ticket prices already ranging between $50 to $75 a person, Omnia will also most likely attract a more affluent crowd and possibly an older one—ahem, less PB 22-year-olds, and more young professionals. But like all elite clubs, guests women can more than likely start to find promoters via the #OmniaSanDiego hashtag to score complimentary entrance.
Omnia San Diego officially opens tonight with Krewella and Calvin Harris takes the reins on Friday night (with T-Swift in tow?). Chuckie closes out the weekend on Sunday. Tickets are said to be available at the door for Calvin Harris tomorrow and are still being sold for Chuckie.
